


Waking Nightmare

by Mertiya



Series: Story Circle [3]
Category: Magic: The Gathering
Genre: Angst, Dreams and Nightmares, M/M, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-07
Updated: 2016-03-07
Packaged: 2018-05-25 05:39:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6182644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mertiya/pseuds/Mertiya
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Zeleren + "Look at me-- just breathe, okay?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Waking Nightmare

It’s been some time since Ral was wakened in the middle of the night by his bedmate.  And usually it’s just a kick or a push or a restless movement, but not tonight.  Tonight, Jace is screaming in his ear, a full-on wail that doesn’t seem to end or die or stop.

“Jace!   _Jace_!” Ral is kicked into horrified wakefulness, because that sound–that sound is _agonizing._ His hands are on Jace’s shoulders and he’s shaking him, partly to get him to wake up, partly just to get him to fucking stop.  Jace sucks in a breath, cries out again, and wakes, his eyes snapping open.

“Don’t,” he murmurs breathlessly, and then he curls on his side, breath coming so fast that Ral doesn’t know how he’s getting any oxygen in the middle of that. Does Jace even know where he is?  Ral’s not sure.  He doesn’t really have a good way of dealing with this, so he tries something that’s worked before–he puts a gentle hand on Jace’s back.

It’s a mistake.  Jace screams again, and the breathing turns into short, sharp sobs.  Ral pulls back immediately and turns to let the swelling lightning crack from his hand to the lightning rod in the corner of the room because now he knows what Jace was dreaming about, and if he could ever get his hands on the man who did this–

No, no, no.  His anger won’t help Jace.  He doesn’t know if anything will, but he can’t touch him, so he speaks instead.  “Jace, you idiot, you woke me up.”  Nothing.  No response, Jace’s hands are still curled protectively over his eyes.  Ral gentles his voice.  “Look at me–just breathe, okay?”

Still nothing.  No recognition, nothing but horrible, grating sobs.  Ral wants to put his hands over his ears.  “Jace–please stop.  I can’t–I can’t fucking deal with you sounding like this.”  

Maybe it’s the note of desperation in his voice, or maybe the soft crackle of the electricity running across his hair, but Jace goes still and slowly looks up.

“Ral?” he says in a small, confused voice.

“Yeah,” Ral says with a sigh of relief.  “It’s me.”


End file.
